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Category Archives: US Events
AWACS Sale to Saudis
AWACS Sale to Saudis 1981 – 1987 The E3 “AWACS” aircraft is one of the most sophisticated early command and surveillance platforms available to the United States Air Force. Imagine Congress’ surprise when President Ronald Reagan announced plans to sell … Continue reading
Solidarity
Solidarity 1980 – ? A trade union movement originating in the Polish shipyards of Gdansk, Solidarity became the focal point for anti-communist resistance within the Eastern bloc. Solidarity quickly moved beyond a simple worker’s movement and rallied pro-Catholic, intellectuals and … Continue reading
“An Evil Empire”
“An Evil Empire” 1983 First used by President Ronald Reagan before the National Association of Evangelicals, conservatives applied the term “evil empire” to the Soviet Union. This change in terminology encapsulated the conservative movement’s rejection of Nixon’s morally ambiguous policy … Continue reading
Tear Down This Wall
Tear Down This Wall 1987 In a speech that hearkened back to Kennedy’s address in front of the Berlin wall, Ronald Reagan challenged newly installed Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev. Reagan, with the Brandenburg gate in the background, declared: “General Secretary … Continue reading
Chernobyl
Chernobyl 1986 The Chernobyl accident was the worst disaster in the history of nuclear power. Radioactive debris spread in a massive cloud that stretched throughout Western Europe, and ultimately reached the eastern seaboard of the United States. 200,000 had to … Continue reading
Soviets Shoot Down KAL-007
Soviets Shoot Down KAL-007 1983 Flying from New York City, to Seoul, South Korea, the doomed Korean Airlines Flight 007 strayed into Soviet Airspace due to a navigational error involving the plane’s autopilot system. While the Soviets contemporaneously claimed that … Continue reading
North Sea Oil
North Sea Oil 1980 While the first oil discoveries in the North Sea occurred in the 1960’s, it would take the Iranian oil crisis to make the exploitation of North Sea oil economically viable. The North Sea contains the majority … Continue reading
Star Wars
Star Wars 1983 – ? More properly known as the Strategic Defense Initiative, President Reagan announced this radical departure from the Cold War doctrine of “mutually assured destruction” in a live television speech to the American public. The initial concept … Continue reading
Reagan Bombs Libya
Reagan Bombs Libya 1986 After the fall of Nasser, a petro-dollar empowered strongman, Muamar Qaddafi, sought Libya’s day in the sun as leader of the Arab world. To prove his bona-fides Qaddafi became the leading source for state supported terrorism … Continue reading
The Iron Lady
The Iron Lady 1979 – 1990 In many ways presaging the “Reagan revolution” in the United States, Margaret Thatcher led a rejuvenation of the conservative movement in the United Kingdom. An ardent anti-communist, Thatcher received the moniker “Iron Lady” from … Continue reading
Twilight Strategy 